4 Tips for Adapting to Google’s New Personalized Search Landscape

In May of last year, Google announced the creation of a new, “supercharged” search function that uses generative AI to give users more information and context to their searches. 

Known as “Search Generative Experience”, or SGE, this software is currently only available to those who opt into Google’s Search Labs for testing. However, it’s apparent that this development represents one of the biggest evolutions in Google’s history.

This new personalized search function will change the way we think about and interact with SERPs on a day-to-day basis once it launches to the general public. As a result, businesses will need to start thinking now about how they plan to adapt their websites to suit the new paradigm.

Introduction: What is Personalized Search?

Personalized search, generally, is not a new concept. Think of your autocomplete bar when you type something into Google’s search query box. It attempts to guess what you’re searching for based on your past searches and what people like you search for. This is a rudimentary form of personalized search.

However, Google’s SGE takes this to an entirely new level. It is an advanced search technology that harnesses the power of generative AI, which has continued to advance and develop at breathtaking speed. It uses this AI to attempt to understand user intent and present more relevant information to the user in search results.

In fact, Search Generative Experience aims to keep users on Google as much as possible by dynamically generating and presenting information to the user on the SERP. This is done through what Google calls “Snapshots” – think of this as an extension of the quotations of sites that you’ll often see on a SERP when you make a search. Snapshots will also incorporate images, videos, and even interactive elements – they are designed to be engaging and informative.

Now that we’ve explored what Google SGE is, let’s get into the four tips that your business can use to put yourself in a great position for this future change.

Tip 1: Adapt Your Current SEO Tactics

With the change to personalized search, companies will need to be more diligent than ever in making sure their websites are optimized accordingly. This is more than just a simple algorithm change – and you need to treat it as such. Some of the ways to adapt your current SEO tactics to these changes are as follows:

•         Drill down your UX/UI. Snapshots will be able to generate dynamic, engaging information at the click of a button. So, it’s imperative that the UX/UI of your website is on point.
•         Establish the authority of your website. Utilize backlinking strategies in your content to increase visibility and drive traffic.
•         Start investing in long-form content if you haven’t already. Focus your efforts on content that answers typical user queries. Make sure to include visual elements to engage your audience.
•         Ensure that your paid search campaigns align with user intent. You’ll want your ads to stand out from Snapshot content as much as possible in order to drive conversions.

Tip 2: Use Structured Data to Guide Google

Structured data is already really important in getting Google to see your content – with SGE it will be more important than ever. Ensure that all the pages on your site have full schema markup. Check on your metadata and ensure it provides full context for the content on those pages. By implementing structured data on your website, you make it more likely that your website will be chosen when the generative AI pulls information for its Snapshot displays.

Tip 3: Create High-Quality, Engaging Content

We’ve spoken in the past about the importance of high-quality content as part of a general digital marketing strategy. Google’s personalized search is poised to emphasize user engagement more than ever before, so you’ll need to tailor your content accordingly.

Some general strategies for content creation include:

•         Using backlinks to external sources to improve the quality of your content.
•         Formatting your content to make it easier on the eye (ex. Using headers, subheads, lists, etc.)
•         Using high engagement formats such as visual and video to supplement written content

In addition, Google’s SGE is all about user intent. It’s important to tap into this and use it as a guide when creating your content. Consider the types of questions your audience may have about your business, products, or services. When writing, consider using a conversational style that’s easy to read and understand.

Consider also writing content that acts as a one-stop shop for all of the information your audience might need about a specific topic. This type of high-quality content can be difficult, but the effort will pay off when SGE launches.

Tip 4: Prepare to Monitor, Analyze, and Adapt Even More

As you make changes and adaptations to the changes that are upcoming, you’ll want to keep a close eye on your reporting and prepare your team to make more changes as needed. Some key metrics to follow would be:

 

•         Organic Traffic
•         Click-Through Rate (CTR)
•         Engagement Metrics
•         Search Queries

 

On the whole, we would anticipate click-through rates to come down given that the point of SGE’s Snapshot function is to keep people on Google. But it wouldn’t be surprising either if some businesses see an uptick in CTR and traffic numbers because their content is being used for the Snapshots.

Google will continue to iterate upon its search technology and make more changes. So, it’s critical to stay up-to-date on the changes and adapt as needed. By doing so, you should be able to maximize your website’s visibility and performance and place your organization in a good position for digital success.

Stay On Top of Google Search Changes with the Experts at Pink Dog Digital

Worried about how your business website can adapt and evolve with Google’s new personalized search landscape? Pink Dog Digital has your back! We help our clients stay up-to-date with the latest trends in marketing so they can make informed decisions.

Our team will leverage Google’s search changes to help you optimize your content, identify new opportunities, and stay ahead of the competition. At Pink Dog Digital, we thrive on helping small businesses achieve their SEO goals and grow their digital footprint.

For more information, call us at 410-696-3305, email us at pinkdogdigital@gmail.com, or contact us through our website.